TL;DR:
- Despite research showing diverse leadership helps startups and the overall economy, a substantial chunk of VC investing still goes toward firms started by white men.
- Visa and Mastercard are using their international networks to find opportunities for overlooked businesses to address this issue.
- Both card networks have expanded financial inclusion programs with a focus on women and minority-owned startups, but a substantial gap remains.
- The lack of diversity in leadership is harming the overall economy and the investors themselves.
- Visa and Mastercard have the resources to help meet the challenges in access to funding and broader market visibility for fintech startups.
